Panty girdle or the like



May 19, 1964 P. BLATT PANTY GIRDLE OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 17. 1961 INVEN TOR. P404 A Burr Ana/ways 3,133,540 PANTY GIRDLE OR THE LIKE PaulaBlatt, 1426 W. 3rd St, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Filed Jan. 17, 1951, Ser.No. 85,192 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-528) This invention relates to the generalclass of maternity garments and is for an improved girdle orpanty-girdle.

One object of this invention is to provide such a garment withrelatively fixed means for supporting engagement beneath the wearersabdomen and with a front panel insert that is so constructed andarranged as to be free to stretch upwardly or vertically in response tothe enlargement of the abdominal region during the period of pregnancyand without interfering with the supporting action of the means thatengages beneath the wearers abdomen.

Another object is to provide such a garment with an improved means ofsupporting engagement with the sacroiliac region of the wearers bodywithout interfering with the donning of the garment.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claim whenconsidered together with the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the present garment in position upon thebody of the wearer;

FIG. 2 is a side View thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a partial view illustrating the abdomensupporting means.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely forthe purpose of illustration and that there might be devised variousmodifications thereof without departing from the spirit of my inventionas herein set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the present invention is shown as beingembodied in a panty-girdle although it might be embodied in a girdlealso.

The garment, as herein illustrated, consists of a rear part 1 and alower front part 2, both of which are of universally elastic materialwith greater stretch horizontally than vertically, and a front panelinsert 3 of net or like material with universal stretch but with morepronounced stretch vertically of the garment. The seams between theseseveral members are indicated by reference numerals 4 and 5 which occurapproximately along the sides of the wearers thighs. There is alongitudinally elastic band 6 at the top of the insert 3 and a widerlongitudinally elastic band 7 at the top of the rear part 1. The crotchpart is indicated by reference numeral 8 and each of the leg openings isprovided with a longitudinally elastic band about the edge thereof, asat 9 and 10, with the usual garter attachments 11.

Upon the inside of the front panel 3 I have provided anabdomen-supporting means consisting of the lower longitudinally elasticmember 12 of slightly arched form and an overlying upper longitudinallyelastic member 13 of more pronounced inverted-arched form so as toensure most etficient supporting engagement beneath the abdomen, thesetwo members being sewn together and having their ends sewn in the seams4 and 5 at the time of sewing the other parts together. The members 12and 13 overlap each other to a greater degree from their ends towardsthe middle thereof and will provide most effective supporting engagementbeneath the middle part of the abdomen, where most needed, as well asthe sides thereof, and this laminated combination is entirely unattached and free except at the ends thereof. The member 12 may be ofgreater width than the member 13 so as to extend inwardly beneath thelower part of the abdomen "ice to sufficient extent for most efiicientsupporting engagement Without danger of wrinkling. Thisabdomensupporting means will remain in relatively fixed position whilethe panel insert 3 is free to stretch upwardly in response to the upwardenlargement of the wearers abdomen and without disturbing the positionof the abdomen-supporting means 12--13 throughout the entire period ofpregnancy. There is sufiicient lateral stretch in the body of thegarment to ensure snug engagement of the same about the region of thewearers abdomen and buttock and, with my present arrangement, there willbe relatively independent action of the abdomen-supporting means 12-13and the panel insert 3, respectively, so that the action of the one willnot interfere with the action of the other during the progressive stagesof pregnancy.

At the rear of the garment I have provided the reinforcing andsupporting member 14 in the region of the sacroiliac joint of the wearerso as to further contribute to the wearers sensation of security andcomfort. This member 14 extends from the very top edge of the garment toa point substantially below the Waist band and has only horizontalstretch as it is without stretch in the vertical direction. The lowerpart of this member 14 is of rectangular form but its upper part, in thearea of the elastic waist-band, is of trapezoidal form so as to permitmaximum stretch of the elastic waist-band and hence facilitate donningof the garment. With this arrangement, there is provided maximum upwardsupporting engagement in the sacroiliac region without interfering withthe intended use of the garment.

Thus the abdomen-supporting means 12-13 and the upwardly elastic panelinsert 3 may perform their respective functions relatively independentlyof each other; that is, the operation of the one will not interfere withthe operation of the other throughout the progressive stages ofpregnancy, thereby enhancing the combined sensation of security andcomfort upon the part of the wearer. Also, the arrangement of the member14 affords increased supporting engagement in the region of the wearerssacroiliac joint in a most effective manner and without interfering withthe donning of the garment. Furthermore, this garment may be made andsold at a popular price.

What I claim is:

A maternity garment comprising rear and side portions of elasticmaterial and an abdominal-engaging panel insert with vertical stretchattached to and extending between said side portions, and a laterallyextending longitudinally elastic abdomen-supporting means having twoends and arranged upon the inside of said insert and attached at onlysaid two ends to said side portions of the garment, saidabdomen-supporting means consisting of longitudinally elastic memberssecured together in overlying laminated relation to each other, to asubstantial extent with said. lamination gradually increasing from theends towards the middle thereof and with said lamination adapted toextend beneath the wearers abdomen in supporting engagement therewith,said abdomen-supporting means being otherwise unattached and free,whereby said vertically elastic insert may respond to the enlargement ofthe wearers abdomen while said abdomen-supporting means remains inrelatively fixed supporting engagement beneath her abdomen throughoutthe period of pregnancy.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,854,006 Geimer Sept. 30, 1958 2,862,499 Blatt Dec. 2, 1958 2,955,598Blatt Oct. 11, 1960 2,955,599 Blatt Oct. 11, 1960

